1990: April 28-May 4

30 May 2010

Cover: Linda Hartley and ‘Bouncer’ (Neighbours)

‘It started as an innocent relationship…’Former Neighbours star Rachel Friend has spoken publicly for the first time about her relationship with former co-star Craig McLachlan. The TV Week Logie award-winning actress said the relationship started very innocently. “Going to the pictures, that sort of thing. People picked up on that, but there was nothing to pick up on. Since then, I can’t deny there is more to it. We are very happy together.” Since leaving Neighbours, Friend has been in the UK to film Mission: Top Secret for Grundy Productions and has now moved to Sydney to be with McLachlan, who is now starring in Home And Away.

It’s a deal… no joke! Media Arts, the production company run by Ian McFadyen and Maryanne Fahey, has signed a lucrative deal with Crawfords Australia. Terry Ohlsson, chief executive of Crawfords, has said that a new comedy project is being devised by the partnership and is under consideration from one of the networks. Meanwhile, Media Arts – producers of The Comedy Company – are set to go ahead with another series, Let The Blood Run Free, a sitcom set in a hospital, starring Jean Kittson, Peter Rowsthorn, Lynda Gibson and Brian Nankervis. There is also speculation that The Comedy Company, that went into extended hiatus at the close of 1989, could be back on air soon in a new series.

Doctors warn Maurie: ‘Take it easy!’ Hey Hey It’s Saturday and The Flying Doctors star Maurie Fields has been told by doctors to take it easy after a recent health scare. Fields, who suffered a mild heart attack last year, took ill following a working holiday in Hawaii with wife Val Jellay. “Maurie was having a bit of trouble breathing but he thought it was the humidity and jetlag,” Jellay told TV Week. “But it was because he was a bit overweight and there was fluid on his lungs. He has since taken off 9 and a half kilograms and he’s on a very strict diet, but he’s fine.” The couple (pictured), who performed their famous vaudeville routine while in Hawaii, also used the trip to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary.

Briefly…Home And Away star Rebekah Elmaloglou has spoken of some of the unwanted attention gained from starring in a popular soapie. “In the early days it was easy for people to get my phone number with a name like Elmaloglou! We had people ringing all the time. I didn’t mind saying hello and having a bit of a chat, but then older boys – men – started ringing. We had one really bad, sexually abusive call.”

E Street’s new bad boy, Sonny Bennet (Richard Huggett, pictured) is moving into the neighbourhood after five years in prison – but the character does bear something of a resemblance to E Street’s former bad boy, Wheels (Marcus Graham). Despite the similarities, Hugget is not worried that the producers may be using his character to resurrect Wheels. “There is no need. Sonny is a good character,” he tells TV Week.

Steve Vizard (pictured) reflects on the first few months of his new late-night show, Tonight Live. “It’s actually like having a big toy,” he says. “Someone lets you into a studio and says, ‘Well, here it is. Here’s all the cameramen and all the facilities, now you make a show.’ And we can do anything we like. We have to con them into giving us OB (outside broadcast) vans occasionally. But, if we want, we can do the show from a pizza shop or a submarine or even from my place.” Tonight Live has given Seven some pleasing late-night ratings, helping the network win its first ratings survey in two years.

John Laws says…”One program that has had a significant impact in the past year is ABC’s Media Watch – The Last Word. It’s an impressive 15 minutes of television because it pulls no punches in making a point. Presenter Stuart Littlemore adopts a slightly supercilious and a schoolmastery approach, but perhaps this is exactly what’s required when you are skinning alive your mates in the media.”

Program Highlights (April 28-May 4): Saturday: HSV7 crosses live to Carrara, Queensland, for Brisbane Bears versus Melbourne in AFL. Later in the evening, ABC crosses to Wembley to a live telecast of the Silk Cut Challenge Cup Final. Sunday: Sunday night movies are Challenger (HSV7), Police Academy V: Assignment Miami Beach (GTV9) and House On Carroll Street (ATV10). Tuesday: SBS presents the 1977 UK special, Twenty-One, the third chapter in the 7 Up documentary series which has interviewed its subjects every seven years from the time they are 7 years old. SBS follows this up on Wednesday night with the latest instalment in the series, 28 Up.